Sullivan rested, ready for Sydney

By Ryan C. Moloney

Daily Sports Writer

It just so happens, that the Greatest-Athlete-You-Never-Heard-of-on-Campus is also the Greatest Athlete on Campus - period.

Michigan cross country assistant coach Kevin Sullivan is attempting to accomplish a rarity for a North American - medaling in a distance event in the Olympics.

Canada's representative in the 1500 meters, Sullivan made the trip to Sydney last week. After adjusting to the time change and the jetlag of a 15-hour flight, Sullivan appears rested.

"Kevin didn't race a lot in the past few months," former track and cross country teammate Jay Cantin said. "He wanted to stay fresh for the three heats before the final."

If he survives the three preliminary heats, as experts believe, Sullivan will compete for a medal on September 25.

Sullivan finished fifth in the event at last year's world championships and is ranked eighth in this week's IAAF world rankings. His personal best in the event is an impressive 3:31.

Current record-holder Hicham El Guerrouj is the gold-medal favorite, with a blistering 3:26 to his credit.

The 1500 is reputedly a race for younger runners whose muscle-twitch hasn't slowed down.

At 26, Sullivan is not old for the race, but the decision to compete in the 1500 wasn't a foregone conclusion.

"A couple of years ago, he decided that he still had the potential to compete for a medal," Cantin said. "Kevin's very strong and that's good for all those qualifying heats.

But a finals berth isn't the end all.

"If Kevin makes the final, there'll be hell to pay," Sullivan's coach Ron Warhurst said. "He's going to leave it all on the track."

Sullivan's medal hopes might also hinge on everybody's favorite Olympic albatross - drug-testing. The introduction of testing for EPO, a popular performance enhancer for distance athletes, might only enhance Sullivan's medal aspirations according to Warhurst.

"I'm very interested in some of the incredible injuries that will pop-up between now and then," Warhurst said. "A few guys have already dropped out of the race because of injuries, but I think it smells a little fishy."

In terms of training, Sullivan's choice was simple. Stay at home and train alone, or travel to running meccas Boulder or Eugene - a popular choice among North America's rather mediocre distance contingent.

Sullivan preferred the loneliness of the long distance runner in Ann Arbor.

"I don't buy into the 'training at high altitudes' talk and neither does Kevin," Warhurst said. "He is an elite runner so he couldn't be expected to fly anywhere for somebody's benefit. He loves to coach and he wants to train here."

Sullivan's leave of abscence doesn't sit as well with him as one may expect.

"He's pissed because he's missing two (cross country) meets," Warhurst said. "That's just the kind of guy he is."